To Thee, Old Cause Howard Hanson

To thee, old Cause!
Thou peerless, passionate, good cause!
Thou stern, remorseless, sweet Idea!
Deathless throughout the ages, races, lands!
After a strange, sad war—great war for thee
(I think all war through time was really fought, and
Ever will be really fought, for thee;)
These chants for thee—the eternal march of thee

Thou orb of many orbs!
Thou seething principle! Thou well-kept, latent germ!
Thou centre!
Around the idea of thee the strange sad war revolv-
Ing
With all its angry and vehement play of causеs
(With yet unknown results to come, for thricе a thou-
Sand years,)
These recitatives for thee—my Book and the War are
One
Merged in its spirit I and mine—as the contest hinged
On thee
As a wheel on its axis turns, this Book, unwitting to
Itself
Around the Idea of thee